Judge Dismisses Corruption Charges Against Eric Adams but Criticizes ‘Deal’ with Trump
NEW YORK — On Wednesday, a federal judge threw out the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. While the judge agreed with dismissing the case as the only realistic outcome, he strongly criticized the Justice Department’s “troubling” justification for wanting to drop the charges – specifically, to allow the Democrat to assist President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
However, the judge disallowed prosecutors from bringing the charges again after the mayoral election. Judge Dale E. Ho’s ruling to dismiss the case “with prejudice” shields Adams from having to govern to appease Trump or risk the Republican’s Justice Department reinstating the charges.
The judge clarified that he wasn’t commenting on the case’s validity, but courts can’t compel prosecutors to proceed. Nevertheless, he voiced concerns about the government’s action, stating “there are many reasons to be troubled” by its reasoning.
“Everything suggests a deal: dropping the indictment in return for policy concessions on immigration,” Ho wrote. He expressed his “disturbance” that public officials might receive preferential treatment from prosecutors for aligning with policy objectives.
He rejected the Justice Department’s alternative request to dismiss the case “without prejudice,” which would have allowed for the charges to be refiled.
“Dismissing the case without prejudice would inevitably create the impression that the mayor’s freedom hinges on his ability to fulfill the administration’s immigration enforcement priorities, potentially making him more accountable to the federal government’s demands than to his constituents’ wishes,” the judge stated.
The mayor claims victory
Adams celebrated the judge’s decision during a brief statement outside his official residence.
“As I’ve said from the beginning, this case should never have been initiated, and I’ve done nothing wrong,” he asserted.
“I have always been solely accountable to the people of this city,” the mayor added. “No special interests, no political adversaries, but just ordinary New Yorkers, just you.”
When questioned about his reelection prospects, Adams stated, “I’m gonna win.”
He concluded by holding up a copy of FBI Director Kash Patel’s 2023 book, “Government Gangsters,” which alleged a “sinister cabal” at the heart of government, and encouraged people to read it.
The Justice Department stated that Adams’ case exemplified “political weaponization and a waste of resources.”
Ho’s decision comes after a legal saga that shook the Justice Department, caused upheaval at City Hall, and left Adams’ mayorship precarious amid questions about his political autonomy and capacity to govern.
Several prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned rather than comply with the Justice Department’s order to drop the case against Adams.
After four of Adams’ top aides chose to resign, Gov. Kathy Hochul considered the extraordinary step of removing a New York City mayor. The governor, a fellow Democrat, ultimately decided it would be undemocratic and disruptive and instead suggested new oversight for the city government.
At a Feb. 19 hearing, Adams told Ho: “I have not committed a crime.”
The basis for the case
Adams pleaded not guilty to bribery and other charges following a 2024 indictment accusing him of accepting unlawful campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official, among others, and reciprocating by, for instance, assisting Turkey in opening a diplomatic building without proper fire inspections.
The case, initiated during President Joe Biden’s administration, was set for an April trial until Trump’s Justice Department moved to dismiss it. Ho postponed the trial while he considered his options, seeking counsel from former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement.
Ho’s decision arrives roughly three months before a Democratic primary that will likely determine New York’s next mayor.
Adams is facing a crowded field of challengers, including former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and several Democrats who argue that he is now excessively indebted to Trump for New Yorkers to trust that he will prioritize their interests. Adams has maintained that he is “solely beholden to the 8.3 million New Yorkers that I represent, and I will always put this city first.”
As recently as Jan. 6, Manhattan federal prosecutors stated in court documents that they continued to “uncover additional criminal conduct by Adams.” However, a month later, their new superiors in Washington decided to abandon the case.
In court documents and during a hearing, then-acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove stated that he was “particularly concerned about the impact of the prosecution on Mayor Adams’ ability to support” Trump’s immigration objectives. Bove also questioned the motives of the previous administration in pursuing Adams, who had criticized Biden’s handling of immigration.
The Trump administration’s acting U.S. attorney in New York, Danielle Sassoon, resisted Bove’s order, stating she could not justify a dismissal connected to political considerations.
Sassoon and several other career prosecutors resigned in protest.
Adams, a retired police captain and former state lawmaker and Brooklyn official, was elected in 2021 as a centrist Democrat in a liberal stronghold. Since his indictment, Adams has fostered a warmer relationship with Trump, instructing mayoral staff not to publicly criticize the president.
—Associated Press reporters Joseph B. Frederick and Larry Neumeister in New York, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed.